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Try playing a Bass A, in the left hand, and the notes, A,C,E,G an octave higher, in the right hand, then,a bass B, with B,D,G in the right hand, then a bass C, with C,E,G in the right, and you will see/hear how the G/B fits in.

While I'm by no means an expert in pop-music chords, it seems to me that G/B is the G major chord with B as the bass note, i.e. the 1st inversion of the G chord.

Edit: R0B, we were typing at the same time, you are faster

However, you and Rob didn't say precisely the same thing. Your reply suggests that G/B IS the 1st inversion, while Rob merely says there is a B in the bass AND a G chord in some inversion.

It makes a difference because that first inversion played low enough on the keyboard sounds muddy, whereas a higher G chord played above the same B is no problem.

I had never heard of slash chords until I started playing with a praise and worship band, and had to look them up. A much better classically trained player who helped out wasn't familiar with them either. But we played mostly lead sheets, full of slash chords. I started out interpreting them as a guide to the inversion, but that didn't always work out that well. With my meager skills, close position chords were easier, but didn't sound good. If I didn't have to play melody (depended on who was singing) it could sound better to have the chord in the right hand and the slash in the left.

Slash notation shows inversion, and all inversion tells you is which note is on the bottom.

Slash notation does not show voicing. You can see G/B and play 3 notes, or you can see G/B and play 12 notes. Those notes all need to be Gs, Bs, and Ds, but as long as the lowest one is a B, it's a G/B chord.

Voicing is an art unto itself. How many notes you use, how far apart they are, how they're distributed across the keyboard and between the hands all have a great effect on the sound. Two different players could both play a G/B chord but get two completely different sounds.

To complicate matters, sometimes people will refer to the inversion played in one hand or the other. For example, if the LH is playing a G but the RH is playing DGB, then someone might refer to it as a 2nd inversion chord (played by the RH) when in fact the chord is in root position (when you think of both hands together.)

_________________________
"If we continually try to force a child to do what he is afraid to do, he will become more timid, and will use his brains and energy, not to explore the unknown, but to find ways to avoid the pressures we put on him." (John Holt)

I'm not sure what the FAQ is referencing, but I think it's an old software limitation that's since been remedied.

_________________________
"If we continually try to force a child to do what he is afraid to do, he will become more timid, and will use his brains and energy, not to explore the unknown, but to find ways to avoid the pressures we put on him." (John Holt)